Hard Rock Atlantic City committed to providing more than 200 live musical acts earlier this year.
From the very beginning, Jim Allen, CEO and Chairman of Hard Rock International said: “Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City will set the tone for a new era of entertainment in Atlantic City.”
Setting the tone for a new era of entertainment is a pretty tall order — even for a global brand known for its relationship with the entertainment industry.
Even so, all evidence points to Hard Rock making good on its promise.
Hard Rock Atlantic City announces 365 Live
This week, Hard Rock Atlantic City announced its new entertainment initiative 365 Live. This latest announcement comes just one week before the casino opens its doors June 28.
The aptly named 365 Live will provide 365 days of live performances and will launch during the star-studded grand opening weekend beginning June 28. Hard Rock also announced the ambitious plan of offering 50 live performances per week through August.
Performances will take place at one of the five performance stages across the property including:
- Hard Rock Cafe
- Lobby Stage
- Council Oak Lounge
- Boardwalk Stage
- Beach Stage
Additional performances of top-tier talent such as Carrie Underwood and Pitbull will take the stage at the newly remodeled Etess Arena.
And look no further than the pool for Hard Rock AC’s Sound Waves poolside concert series.
365 Live will feature national touring acts including performers from American Idol, The Voice, and America’s Got Talent. Hard Rock will bring Grammy Award winners, comedians, and some of the biggest names in entertainment to grace the Boardwalk with their talents.
Come as you are, no ticket required
Adam Zengel, Vibe Manager at Hard Rock Atlantic City, confirmed in a press release, that many musical acts would be available to the general public for free.
“I am incredibly proud of not only the amount of entertainment we are providing but the quality, as well. We worked very hard at crafting an experience unlike any other. Being able to come in from the boardwalk and see the level of artists we have playing without purchasing a ticket, shows our commitment to live entertainment.”
Some of the initial acts to grace Hard Rock’s stages as part of the 365 Live launch are:
- E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg
- American Idol winner Nick Fradiani
- America’s Got Talent winner Michael Grimm
- Nick Howard from The Voice of Germany
- Freestyle star Johnny O
- American Idol runner-up Matt Giraud
The Hard Rock Cafe will also host a weekly Sunday Jazz Brunch and Monday Night Blues.
The initial acts scheduled to entertain you during brunch on the Boardwalk are:
- Grammy Award winner Tom Scott (July 1)
- Elio Villafranca (July 8)
- Alex Minasian (July 15)
- Nat Adderley. Jr. (July 22)
- Ayako Shirasaki and Noriko Ueda (July 29)
Monday Night Blues begin a 9 p.m. with the following performers kicking off the weekly event:
- Eric Gales (July 2)
- Samantha Fish (July 9)
- Anthony Gomes (July 16)
- Scotty Bratcher (July 23)
- Jeremiah Johnson (July 30)
It’s almost game time
The casino license is in place. The entertainment lineup is secured. The grand opening Guitar Smash is scheduled. And the iconic Les Paul Gibson guitar found its new home this week:
Hard Rock guitar is lifted into place a few blocks away from the Atlantic City casino that’s opening in one week. pic.twitter.com/pm0JQqZUVr
— Wayne Parry (@WayneParryAC) June 21, 2018
There is just one week until the big day — June 28. A casino grand opening is worthy of attention. Two on the same day just means you can expect chaos of the celebratory kind.
Atlantic City is looking at Hard Rock and Ocean Resort Casino to help revitalize the gambling town after years of financial struggle.
It’s not enough to bring visitors to town, though. The goal really is to encourage them to stay longer and come back sooner.
Rummy Pandit, executive director of the Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality & Tourism at Stockton University, made this point earlier this year to Billboard Magazine.
“Bringing entertainment into the city mid-week at off-peak times will be a particularly persuasive reason for visitors to consider extending their stay. Turning a two-night weekend stay into a long weekend or mid-week getaway can make a huge difference for Atlantic City’s lodging, food, and beverage, retail, gaming, and tourism businesses.”
It looks like Atlantic City is in good hands.